


Operation Jailbreak

by mlkyways



Category: Vocaloid, 地縛少年花子くん | Jibaku Shounen Hanako-kun | Toilet-bound Hanako-kun (Manga)
Genre: Betrayal, Distopian world, Family Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Heavy Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Sad Tsukasa, Tsukasa can cry, Tsukasa is normal tho, gets really sad in the end, gore and gunshots, more angst than fluff tho, ooc sometimes for the sake of the plot
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-01
Updated: 2020-08-19
Packaged: 2021-03-03 21:00:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,143
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24571936
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mlkyways/pseuds/mlkyways
Summary: Inspired by Neru's Jailbreak, the story starts itself in a heavily polluted dystopian city enclosed by high walls and metal cages. No one is allowed to escape and no one would dare to try and get to the other side, because if they did, they would be killed by the government.Amane and Tsukasa are two orphans born in the city, struggling to live. All they could see from the caged dome that they live in was the sky and the moon. They were ignorant of even the color of the meadows and grasslands. Amane and Tsukasa were sick and tired of living in the world they were in.One day, as Amane was staring into the depths of the night with Tsukasa, leaving the moon as their only light source, he told him his dream that they would escape and fly to the moon.Someday.And that was what they called 'Operation Jailbreak'.
Relationships: Hanako | Yugi Amane/Yugi Tsukasa, Slight - Hanako | Yugi Amane/Yashiro Nene
Comments: 5
Kudos: 28





	1. Amane

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [脱獄](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/629707) by Neru. 



> I had this idea for quite a while and I'm really excited to be writing it out, so hopefully, I won't abandon this. There are so many great authors out there writing for this fandom and I can't help but get inspired to write my own work. Just think of this fic as a giant thank you for all your hard work! I'm not a good writer, but I'll try my best! Happy reading! :D

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 仄暗い城壁で淘汰した 
> 
> ガス臭いこの街に生まれて
> 
> 僕らまだ草原の色も知らない。
> 
> ❝ Born in this town that reeks of gasoline;
> 
> Closed off by the gloomy, high walls surrounding;
> 
> We have yet to know the color of grasslands.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had this idea for quite a while and I'm really excited to be writing it out, so hopefully, I won't abandon this. There are so many great authors out there writing for this fandom and I can't help but get inspired to write my own work. Just think of this fic as a giant thank you for all your hard work! I'm not a good writer, but I'll try my best! Happy reading! :D

_[ large, open grasslands; in the middle lies a giant dome, a single dandelion in front of the structure:_ **_open_ ** _]_

  
  


From the moment Amane Yugi was born, the one thing he knew is that no one was allowed to go past the walls of the city. No one must go outside, and no one knew the consequences of going against that order. The city he lived in was enclosed behind gloomy high walls and bars made of titanium and steel. No one would dare try to break through that cage. They called this cage ‘The Dome’, because despite the walls that surround it and the bars built on top of them, at the very peak of the city was an open sky that was sealed with glass shaped like a dome. The only thing that can be seen from the dome was the sky, and that was the only connection it had to the other world beyond the walls. 

The town that Amane lived in, overall, was nothing but filthy and disgusting. It reeked of gasoline and pollution, and the roads were concealed with oil that dripped from the engines of trucks. The whole city was simply just like a factory filled with cold attitudes despite the heat of the machines. The air that filled the dome was thick and heavy, so it was hard to breathe through at times, but that was the norm. Anyone that wasn’t strong enough to breathe the harsh air died from the filth that entered their lungs, and that was how it is. No one gave a care and no one ever would. They were already too busy trying to keep themselves alive. One wrong move and they know that they would die. This was barely a city – no, it wasn’t a city. Instead, it was a storm full of desperation controlled and watched over by the government. 

No one had time for anything. No one in this desperate town had time to learn how to read or write. No one even dreamed. No, not even anyone would even try to dream. All they wanted was to live. They were like animals – like birds who didn’t know how to fly – trapped in cages, and they thought like one too. They were ignorant to even the color of the grasslands beyond them that even a bird would know. No one probably knew the word ‘grasslands’ at all. However, the only person that seemed to know was Amane himself. He wasn’t supposed to know, but he knew. 

Amane’s curiosity of the word began when he opened a dusty, old, leather-covered book that was filled with yellow musky pages that he found in the depths of the old basement in the orphanage. The book wasn’t supposed to be there, but it was. It was supposed to be burned years and years ago with the pile of other books that had been turned to ash, but instead, it ended up in Amane’s small, pale hands. The words and endless letters that covered the pages with their ink made Amane’s head spin. He wasn’t supposed to know what the alphabet was, but he did. His curiosity got the best of him, and here he was. He learned that what he could do now was called _reading;_ the second forbidden law that no one but him understood. He learned what grasslands were from the book that taught him about the other side of the world – the stars and the disappearing and reappearing orb in the sky that he learned was called the moon. He heard that the color of grasslands was olive, but he has never heard that color before. In the end, he still didn’t know the color of grasslands. All he could do was wonder. 

Amane was a small, young boy that still remained pure in the corrupted town he lived in. Despite the fact that he was a child, Amane couldn’t remember the faces of his mother or father. All Amane could recall was that someone took their lives away. No one told him anything and he couldn’t remember what happened. The only family he knew was his twin brother that went by the name Tsukasa, who had a heart as pure as Amane. As a result of having no parents, it was a blessing that they were raised in an orphanage. That was the place Amane found the book. The orphanage that they were raised in was quite small because of the frequent kicking out of other children, so Tsukasa and Amane stuck together. 

Anywhere Amane would go, Tsukasa went too. They were always seen together, stuck like glue. Tsukasa hung on to Amane as if he could disappear at any moment. They never needed anyone besides each other. No one around them was nice anyway. And of course, the stay at the orphanage wasn’t free. They had to pay back for the unappetizing tiny portions of food, and the small wooden rack they slept in without any blankets to cover their freezing bodies that already lacked heat. Of course, they had to pay back. In exchange for the gruesome hospitality they received, the children helped the adults work in the factories and shops nearby the old orphanage. Their small fingers and tiny frames were convenient in getting through small areas that were hard to reach in the large machines of the factories. Amane, on the other hand, didn’t like to work in the factories even though it was easier. The pungent smell of fossil fuels being burnt was dominant, and it made him want to throw up everything he ate from the past few weeks. Instead, Amane and Tsukasa decided to work in a nearby workshop that taught them how to tinker and repair small machines that were given to them. 

They spent their short, not-so-sweet childhood in the workshop and in the orphanage eating stale bread every day as their food source, sleeping on hard and cold surfaces during the night, cramped together with other children in the small wooden racks, and being yelled at by the adults for not working hard enough. They spent their life just like that for the past twelve years of their existence. Today they were turning thirteen. Amane almost always forgot about their birthday, but luckily Tsukasa was there to remind him. Every year, they secretly celebrated together in the basement by eating one of the doughnuts Tsukasa managed to steal from the lunch of their caretaker. It has always been Amane’s favorite food. It tasted nothing like the dry, hard bread that they were given in the cafeteria. It was like a sweet, crispier, yet soft and fluffier version of bread. Tsukasa _always_ got him doughnuts for their birthday. Even if he wasn’t able to find any doughnuts in their caretaker’s lunch bags, he would still manage to get a doughnut even if it meant that he had to rob the government. Amane never knew where the doughnuts came from, but he appreciated the thoughtful gesture from his precious younger brother. To return the favor and the doughnuts, Amane combed his slender fingers through his brother’s identical _very_ choppy, brown hair while Amane told him stories about the grasslands, the constellations of the stars and the bright moon that lit the dark throughout the night.

However, they weren’t able to keep up their little sweet customs this year on their thirteenth birthday. Instead, Amane and Tsukasa spent the night of their birthday thrown away in the rotting streets of the city, cold and hungry. Tsukasa held on to Amane, his large amber eyes filled with tears and fear. They were supposed to be spending this night together in their basement. Tsukasa was supposed to get Amane his favorite snack. They were supposed to eat doughnuts together, cuddling in the dark as Amane told him about the moon and how bright and hopeful it looked. Unfortunately, they couldn’t spend that time together in the basement of the old orphanage because they were kicked out. They had forgotten that they already turned thirteen, which was the age where children were no longer children, and so they had to move out. Dirt and mud stained their faces with dishonor instead of doughnut crumbs. 

And, well, here was Amane now: Tsukasa was crying against his chest, as they were sprawled out in all directions, leaning against the grimy walls for support and sitting upon the contaminated floors of the alleyway like homeless rats. All that flashed through Amane’s mind was the way Tsukasa fought and yelled against the owner of the orphanage the same way their caretakers used to yell at them, begging and crying to let them stay longer – even if it meant one more year. Hot tears streamed down his cheeks like waterfalls, as Amane attempted to hold him back with all the strength he had to prevent the assault that Tsukasa threatened to give. Tsukasa clutched his right hand on Amane’s shirt and his other hand held on to the folds of Amane’s jumpsuit that hung across his hips, which snapped Amane out of his endless thoughts. What brought his attention now was Tsukasa’s small body, letting out different pitched yells with every breath he took that were muffled into Amane’s chest. 

Tsukasa cried and cried – he was crying a river – and it never stopped. He kept on repeating Amane’s name in a state of abstraction – like Amane was his lifeline, and if he stopped saying his name, Tsukasa would die. The vibrations that emitted from his strained voice went straight to Amane’s spine. It caused him to shiver. Cold sweat dripped from Amane’s forehead in a state of panic. He scratched his head as an attempt to figure out what he should do to make his brother stop crying. All that happened as the result for thinking of methods was Tsukasa crying harder against his chest. Amane held him tighter, his dominant hand fiddling with the locks of Tsukasa’s hair to calm him down. It must have worked judging from the way Tsukasa relaxed into the touch. His sobs started slowing down, as he held on Amane’s dirt-stained shirt harder. It felt comforting to him, knowing that his brother was safe in his arms, but it broke his heart how he looked so vulnerable – how fast he broke down in his arms, just like how fast his heart sank to the cold ground. He never saw Tsukasa like this before. And the worst part yet is that Amane didn’t cry along with him. He was too numb to everything that happened around him, and that is something that shouldn’t happen – for, he was still a child. It hurt him how he didn’t cry along with Tsukasa and share the way they felt with each other. It pained him to realize how he _couldn’t_ cry along even though they were connected – for goodness sake, they were twins! They were each other’s other half that completed each other, but they were far from complete, they were broken and they were left broken together. Amane, heart yet still pure at the same time, could only ease his younger brother in his arms while he fell apart. It seemed like Amane’s eyes forgotten how to cry.

Amane wanted to yell at the world for treating them this way – for breaking them despite the number of their age – for being born in the world they were in. But he couldn’t. He just couldn’t yell back at the world. He couldn’t shriek or cry or let himself give up and be helpless against it. Amane couldn’t blame the world for doing this to them. He couldn’t because deep down, he knew that it was going to happen one day. It was just like in that poem he read – _nothing can gold can stay,_ but he didn’t want to believe it. As long as Tsukasa existed and stood by him, Amane believed that there was still good in the world. It didn’t matter if it came from him, but he believed that there was still someone out there who still cared – someone, he thought – at least someone out there in this world was still as innocent and untainted as his younger brother. Even if there was no one out there, Amane chose to believe that he didn’t need anyone besides his brother, because Tsukasa was the only one who loved him the same way he loved Tsukasa. Amane wanted to protect him from the corruption of the world. He wanted Tsukasa to stay gold. Maybe that was why he didn’t want to believe in that poem he read. 

Although Tsukasa didn’t teach him how to read or write, Tsukasa was the person who taught Amane how to hope, and that Amane thought, was more valuable than the literature he taught himself. Tsukasa wasn’t numb like Amane was. Tsukasa just didn’t give up. He still had hope, but sadly, that hope did not meet reality. The moment Tsukasa’s expectations intersected with the truth was the same moment they were in right now. Pain and betrayal. Maybe it was better if Tsukasa stayed ignorant. Because ignorance is bliss – and Amane agrees. 

Tsukasa was crying harder into Amane’s chest as time passed by. Amane held on to him tighter, panicking. He tried rubbing circles into Tsukasa’s back, just like how Tsukasa would do when Amane was stressed, but it wasn’t very effective. Yells turn into helpless shrieks. Amane could tell that it was getting harder for Tsukasa to breathe, and the air around them wasn’t helping at all. 

“Tsukasa…! Calm down!” Amane’s grip on Tsukasa loosened, giving him some space to breathe, but Tsukasa only closed the gap between them that Amane had given. He yelped as Tsukasa held him tighter as if he was going to run away. 

“D-don’t–” Tsukasa sniffed, and began to take deep breaths again, just like how Amane instructed him to. He wasn’t crying anymore. Only hiccups remained from his breakdown session. “Don’t go away, Amane… Don’t push me away l-like those other people did,” He rubbed his eyes again, wiping away the pitiful tears that made him look so vulnerable in front of his older brother. “Please promise me that you won’t leave… I’m n-nothing without you,” 

In response, Amane hugged Tsukasa’s figure gently. They fit perfectly, just like how they were supposed to – two puzzle pieces that completed each other. His chin rested softly upon Tsukasa’s shoulder as his fingers continued to run through his hair, looking for something to fidget with. His heart sank even more than before as those words left Tsukasa’s mouth. Amane hesitantly parted his lips, as if he was trying to say something, but he quickly closed them in fear of what he might say if they were left open – but anyways, _screw it_ , because this was not the time. 

“Tsukasa,” He began. “I would _never_ leave you. I promise that.” 

And so they stayed together like that for a few more minutes before Tsukasa dozed off into his arms. Amane, on the other hand, couldn’t sleep at all. Too many thoughts ran through his head that he couldn’t organize. He rested upon the grey, concrete floor with Tsukasa on his side, fast asleep, hoping the night would end as soon as possible so he could search for food to eat. But even so, the night was still young, and the worst part was that he couldn’t find the moon. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


_“–mane–”_

_“Ama..ne”_

  
  


_“AMANE!”_

  
  
  


**_“AAAAAA–!”_ **

  
  


From instinct, Tsukasa quickly shut Amane’s mouth with his two bare hands, muffling his screams. Amane awoke, quickly subjecting himself to sit up, eyes widened and pupils dilated, half-conscious and heart beating uncontrollably from the shock of energy he used to lift his body up. His head and his hands quickly turned to the source that wrapped his nose and his mouth, harshly pulling them away for air. His eyes followed the source of the hands that blocked his air supply, expecting danger only to see Tsukasa staring back at him with wide eyes and a huge pout forming across his lips. Amane rubbed his eyes and groaned when he realized who it was as he threw his body back to the ground in exhaustion. His eyes were dazzled from the bright light of the morning sun, temporarily blinding his eyes. 

“Amane, you were really loud,” Tsukasa stated, referring to the scream Amane made earlier when he tried to wake him up. 

No reply. 

This was when Tsukasa realized that his twin must have gone back to sleep. The little snores that escaped the roof of Amane’s mouth made it even more obvious. He really must have been exhausted. Dark bags started to accumulate under his eyes from the night before, and his muscles must have felt sore from holding Tsukasa. Tsukasa, himself, was also in the same state, but the only difference they shared was Tsukasa’s puffy eyes and the red that cornered eyebags. Dried tears were evident from his cheeks from all the crying yesterday. 

“Amane, wake up! It’s morning time!” 

Seeing that Amane wouldn’t wake up, Tsukasa decided to stop fooling around and take matters into his own hands. He brought his hands to Amane, seizing his shoulders into a tight grip, and with that, he used his strength to push him up and began to violently shake his poor body back and forth.

“TSUKASA!”

“AMANE!”

“I wanna… sleep,” Amane breathes out, placing his body back to the ground, arms laid out on his side. He let out a short yawn followed by a relaxed sigh. His body felt heavy, and the ground felt he was sleeping on top of a field of pillows, as he began to fall into a tranquil state–

“Amane! WAKE UP! You told me to wake you up! SO GET UP–” Without letting another second pass, Tsukasa climbed on top of Amane and proceeded to knock all the air out of his lungs from all the weight. As a consequence, Amane began to gasp for air, coughing in the process with tears in his eyes. It turns out his request ended up too successful, knowing that Tsukasa was too determined. 

“Tsu– KA–” He tried to form words, but with the lack of air and Tsukasa on top of him, he barely managed. “.. _.stop_ – I’ll wake up!! Promise–”

With those words, Tsukasa got off of Amane in an instant. “You promised.” He then said, sticking out his tongue in a childish manner. Tsukasa trusts Amane’s words. Whenever he promises something, Tsukasa knows that he meant it. Amane never broke his promises. Never. So Tsukasa would never break promises either. 

Promises felt thrilling to Tsukasa. Like a bond. Those words always perplexed him no many times it was said: _I promise_. It felt like something deep – like something endless; like a cave that had unlimited boundaries left to discover. A promise always meant something serious. Even though Tsukasa never liked being serious, making promises was an exception. 

Amane took deep breaths, desperate for air after his annoying little brother got his heavy weight off of him. “..y-you’re right.” In the other perspective, Tsukasa looked thoroughly at Amane, up and down, admiring his work. He began to get himself up and brush visible dirt off his teal jumpsuit and Tsukasa’s identical one. “You must be thirsty. Let’s find some water.” 

“Huh? Why? Is it because Amane is thirsty?” Tsukasa started to follow Amane out of the alleyway and into the streets as Amane began to walk. 

“Maybe.. I’m a bit thirsty.” That was a lie. He was _really thirsty_ , including an emphasis on ‘really’. Amane felt like he was in a desert, out of water and sweating hot. He tied the sleeves of his jumpsuit to his waist to expose his shirt to the air, but it didn’t help as much. On the contrary, Tsukasa didn’t seem bothered at all. He still wore his full body jumpsuit from his neck, all the way down to his toes in this scorching heat! Amane looked impressed yet concerned at the same time. They both did not have any water for the same amount of time, yet Tsukasa was unfazed. Especially since that night where Tsukasa cried _waterfalls_ , he must have been extremely dehydrated. If Tsukasa was acting, Amane would give all his numbers. That is, if Tsukasa was acting. 

“Y’know Amane…” Tsukasa started. “I’m also thirsty.” He looked at Amane with a big smile. “Thirsty lots, actually.” Tsukasa held Amane’s hand tighter as they walked further away from the alleyway. “So let’s find some water for Amane!” 

_‘And for you too,’_ Amane would have said. Even so, Amane decided to keep the peaceful silence as they continued to walk, hand in hand, together.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


And so, searching for water became Amane’s top priority along with Tsukasa. He could tell that Tsukasa was getting desperate for water. The way his fingers twitched and the whining exhaustion he presented gave it all away. Amane himself felt his mouth dry and the back of his throat itch – a distracting urge that his brain gave him to just stop whatever he was doing and go find something to drink. And so, Tsukasa and Amane, hand in hand, went together into the streets. 

The streets were crowded with people of all ages, frowns on their faces, and no light in their eyes. The atmosphere above them was just as dead as they were. They had to hold hands because of how crowded it was. They had been pushed back and forth, so if they didn’t hold hands they might have lost each other in the crowd already. Tsukasa had already fallen to the ground because of all the pushing. Even so, no one had the time to apologize. As a result, he scraped his hands and knees, and they bled at their own leisurely pace. They really needed water now – not only to quench their thirst but to also wash Tsukasa’s wounds before they got infected. Not only were the streets crowded with civilians, but there were also police that surrounded them, with their metal guns tucked in the corner of their uniforms. Even if they wore an orange blindfold decorated with a cross in the middle to represent the separation of their eyes – even if that piece of cloth covered their blinded eyes, they could still see everything. And that’s what scared everyone the most. 

No matter how crowded the streets were, no one would dare go next to any of the police. The wonders, or mysteries – they would fall them. Amane didn’t really know much about them, but there were rumors everywhere about them. Despite all the gossip, knows what they would do if people got in their way? No one wanted to know, and yet; they knew. Despite their dead eyes, fear would remain – fear of the seven wonders – of the government and the power they had. They had enough power to keep everyone trapped in this sick, polluted dome, surrounded by factories they were forced to work in like slaves. Like animals. The only thing that kept everyone alive was the _wanting_ to stay alive. All that was left in everyone’s mind was their survival. A place to sleep. Food to eat. And of course, _fresh, cool water_ to drink from. Amane’s throat started itching again at the thought. Then again; that was how society was. Trapped like animals, desperate to live. Even if they had to think like animals in order to survive, everyone would love to lean that low. Their thoughts never consisted of ‘oh.. what shall I do today’ or ‘what clothes shall I wear’ or ‘I wonder how my family is doing,’ rather their heads were filled with thoughts like ‘what I am going to eat,’ and ‘those people are dangerous – I need to stay away,’ There was no such thing as thinking for someone else, instead it was thinking for _yourself;_ what are _you_ going to do or how are _you_ going to get out this mess? There was no such thing as family. You had to be independent. 

Amane and Tsukasa, though – they were different. So different, that they would probably be the only family that still stuck together in the whole entire dome, and even that wasn’t surprising. They were together like birds of a feather instead of animals. Like birds, they still had a chance to fly – to fly and escape this hellhole. 

Amane’s trembling hand gripped harder on Tsukasa when he saw the mysteries. There were two of them patrolling the streets today – a tall man stood possessing sharp teeth that looked humanly impossible and deathly long nails that held on to a long wooden pipe. Next to him was a woman with long hair, holding a metal bat that could kill anyone with just one _right_ hit. She looked like a wild fox, searching for birds to eat – and oh god – those fangs. Amane stared at the man with the pipe, watching him as he brought it towards his lips and the smoke that came out from his mouth as he lowered the pipe away from his face. His large amber eyes never left their gaze as he dragged Tsukasa away from them and back to the dark alleys. Tsukasa seemed to notice this and looked at his brother with confusion. 

“You okay, Amane?” 

Amane could only nod. He gulped again at the sight of the officers on the streets. Cold sweat glistened passed his forehead and dropped past his chin. Tsukasa wiped it off, and brought Amane’s face towards him, his two hands cupping Amane’s cheeks. Amane’s eyes locked together with Tsukasa’s ocean blue eyes, two identical faces facing each other. They were like reflections from a mirror that were facing each other. When Amane looked into Tsukasa’s eyes, he felt that if he stared too long, he would sink and drown into those deep blue waters. Tsukasa stared hard into Amane’s amber shores as if he was trying to memorize every feature. The color was a beautiful type of orange; it reminded Tsukasa of something, but he couldn’t tell what. It made him feel nostalgic for a place he had never been to. Amane’s pupils were still shaking as they looked back as his twin brother and his heart was still beating from the remains of adrenaline and fear. It was beating so loudly that it wouldn’t be a surprise if Tsukasa could hear it. 

“No, you’re not,” Tsukasa concluded, his hands moving to Amane’s hair, running his fingers through the dark locks. “Amane,”

...you look scared.” 

Amane stared into Tsukasa’s eyes for a bit longer before he decided to break eye contact with each other. Uncertain and fearful, he looked intently towards the ground.

“Is it because of those big guys with the blindfolds?” Tsukasa continued to stroke Amane’s hair softly – in the same way Amane did to him when they got kicked out of the orphanage. “I saw you looking at them earlier.” 

Amane gulped again. Thinking about those officers made his stomach feel queasy – like something was in there that didn’t belong. It reminded him, back then in the orphanage, when some officers came to inspect the warehouse. It was quite early in the morning, and Tsukasa was still asleep. Amane was hungry, so he decided to go sneak into the kitchen to get food for him and Tsukasa. It was something that he and Tsukasa did often. It was early, so barely anyone was up to catch them red-handed. And so, Amane tip-toed to the kitchen, slowly, slowly. Only then when he reached the kitchen, he saw some unexpected guests talking to some of the adults. He hid behind the counters, waiting for them to leave. Sneaking back was going to be much harder than he thought. He didn’t know who these people were, but they were tall and scary. They had guns at their sides that they could take out at any time and end any living thing that was in their radius. What perplexed him the most was their signature orange blindfolds that they wore. He questioned to himself how on earth were they able to see with those blindfolds covering their eyes! But that didn’t matter. What mattered most now was that he _can’t_ get caught. Under those circumstances, Amane knew that it was best to stay hidden behind those counters. The adults exchanged words with the officers and continued their conversation. But then, the tone started going elsewhere. What happened next was… sickening. Amane couldn’t see it, but he heard it. Endless possibilities of what could have happened took over his thoughts. But what he did know was that one of the adults got killed. Right in front of him – just as he was _right_ beside that counter. It happened live, and he was there. Blood spilled everywhere in sync with the loud gunshot he heard, and some even managed to splash on the counter and right next to him where he was able to see the bright red color. He didn’t know what the seven wonders wanted, but all he knew was that they came to kill. 

Amane started shaking, reliving the moments he never wanted to think about. He felt vulnerable like this: sitting on the ground, back leaning against the walls, legs sprawled out as if he just fell, while Tsukasa sits right in front of him, legs bending down all the way to get to Amane height, a smile brightening up Tsukasa’s features. 

“Don’t worry, Amane! I’ll protect you! I’ll even squash them for you!” Tsukasa said with a giggle.

Amane really wonders… how can Tsukasa always stay this cheerful? Whatever the reason, he was glad. There was still some light in this world that Tsukasa brought to him. He felt safe in his hands, calmer than ever before. He smiles back at Tsukasa to return the favor. He was always so positive; Amane couldn’t help it. He wanted Tsukasa to stay positive, so Amane would stay strong. He can’t fall apart now. After all, they still needed to find water. 

  
  
  
  
  
  


Soon enough, all the dreadful hours of walking around the city finally paid off. As Amane and Tsukasa walked passed one of the alleys between two small buildings (they were always in and out of the alleys) was a small rusty old faucet that seemed like it wasn’t used for years. That was good, because no one owned it, and they could get all the water they wanted without having to steal. The two eager twins were ogling the poor faucet as if it was a box of delicious homemade doughnuts just _waiting_ to get devoured. They approached the tiny faucet at a swift and exciting pace, pushing against each other along the way. 

Just as they were right next to the faucet, Tsukasa turned to his brother with his signature smile. “Hehe, Amane, you can go first!” He pointed at the faucet. “Since you helped me find it!” 

Amane was about to insist, but the raging ache in his throat disagreed. He gulped at the sight of the faucet and the thought of fresh water pouring right out of it that he _so desperately needs_. Amane already has Tsukasa’s permission, so he wouldn’t mind right? Oh god. His mind was so hazy, he can’t even think properly. Everything was just _water, water,_ and _water_. Was this what the other people felt? 

With permission, Amane nudged Tsukasa away and impatiently began to twist the little knob as the fresh liquid began to pour out of the metal faucet. Amane cupped his hands and brought it towards the flow of the water as quickly as possible, not allowing any water to drop and waste. Amane was about to bring his hands to his mouth to drink, when he realized that the liquid wasn’t the water he intended to drink. Instead, the liquid that filled his hands was unusually thick and a dark black – like a void ready to swallow the twins instead of them swallowing it. Tsukasa’s eyes widened in fear as he watched the grim liquid drip out of his brother’s hands. The ocean blue in his eyes contrasted with the dark murky liquid. There was confusion present in Tsuksasa’s atmosphere like he doubted and questioned himself what the color of water was. As eager as Amane was to get water, he threw it back out at the same speed – and if not, then faster. He stared, pupils, shaking as he stared at the thick black color of the leftover liquid that stuck to his hands. His face portrayed disgust as he looked back at the faucet and his hands. Amane couldn’t bring himself to stare at the flow running down the faucet at its own slow pace, so he quickly shut the faucet off by twisting the same rusty knob the opposite way. Amane’s knees fell down, hopelessly. He was tired. Tired of walking miles and miles for a small stupid rusty faucet just to end up getting their hopes crushed. He thought of Tsukasa and how terrible he must be feeling now. There was an empty space between them, and it was getting uncomfortable with each passing second. Amane gulped again for the hundredth time and decided to break the tension by apologizing.

“I’m sorry Tsukasa…” Amane started, face looking down at the floor again as if it was the most interesting thing he saw today. At that point, he would love to look at anything besides Tsukasa. He wasn’t ready to face the disappointment on Tsukasa’s face. 

“Amane, look at me.” 

Even after those four words, Amane wouldn’t budge. The heavy feeling of guilt resided on his shoulders left his head to face the ground in shame. Lifting his pitiful face that was beginning to fill with tears in order to look at Tsukasa would only break his heart. Small and slim fingers reached Amane’s chin and pulled his gaze upwards towards the source of the fingers: from Tsukasa’s hand to his thick arms, up to his subtle shoulders and then his face. Unexpectedly, Amane was met with a bright toothy smile from Tsukasa. He expected something like a look of disappointment or maybe even a hateful look in his eyes. He would expect that from himself, after all – he should have thought again – but he should have remembered that Tsukasa was different. 

“That’s okay, Amane. Don’t worry. I’m sure we’ll find some water soon! We just gotta keep looking!” 

Amane looked carefully at Tsukasa this time. It was just like that time when Tsukasa was comforting him from the officers. He was always comforting Amane whenever he felt down. It made Amane feel like he wasn’t the big brother anymore. He didn’t know if that should make him feel shameful or relieved. This time, it was like Amane was looking through a mirror that reflected someone that he wished to be. Tsukasa’s smile was contagious, so Amane couldn’t help but smile himself. At the sight of Amane’s soft smile, Tsukasa giggled. Amane just wondered how his brother could be so innocent and golden – just so… _perfect_. It reminded Amane how Tsuksasa’s eyes were really pretty. He wanted those blue eyes too. They were filled with brightness and hope that Amane always wished he had. Whenever he stared at his eyes, it felt like Amane was staring at the full moon, high in the night sky and far from the horizon. Gorgeous and bright. Although they were twins, the way Tsukasa’s eyes shined were different from Amane’s own. Unlike the pair of full moons that Tsukasa has, Amane’s eyes were resembled more of a crescent. A crescent that was closer to the horizon, the moonlight passing through multiple, thicker shades of atmosphere, making the light that emanated from it turn into an orange amber. His eyes were empty. Empty crescents. An uncompleted crescent moon that was longing to be full. 

“Okay, Tsukasa.” Amane began. “We’ll keep looking.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I have heavily edited this chapter and re-wrote the whole thing basically... The whole story was supposed to be in a first-person perspective but changing it into a third-person perspective feels more comfortable for me and the whole story flows better too. Right after a chapter, I always seem to get writer's block, but I'm trying to fight that off and work hard. I really want to finish this story especially since I have a draft and a good idea of how things are going to work out. Thank you for reading! It means a lot to me. Soooo... what do you think about the first chapter? :D


	2. Amane

Before they knew it, the sun had already set, bringing the darkness of night along with it. This time, a small thin slice of a waxing crescent was present in the sky. Seeing the moon above the glass barrier of the dome gave Amane a bit of hope. 

Amane was resting against the walls of a brick building in the alleys yet again – away from the crowd – while Tsukasa was right beside him, sleeping soundly. The alleyways seemed to be their comfort place in the city. No one really came there to bother them; maybe there were a few stray animals here and there, but no one would take their time to go there. Amane liked being alone with Tsukasa. It made him feel safe. There was a silence between them – a comfortable silence that was slightly broken by Tsukasa’s soft snores. Amane was supposed to be asleep as well, but he just couldn’t. Maybe it was because the air was too cold, or maybe the streets were quieter than how they usually are. On top of that, Amane’s mind was a mess. He couldn’t stop worrying. His head was filled with unwanted thoughts that he wished would just go away. Maybe that – Amane thought – was why he couldn’t drift off to sleep. Amane still felt the guilt present in his heart – like it was living there rent free. It weighed him down, as if it was trying to sink the beating heart in his chest that kept him alive. 

Amane laid on his back, facing the empty sky that only consisted of a thin crescent with Tsukasa right next to him. He stared at Tsukasa for a while – laying on his side, facing Amane’s direction. His small frame was covered by Amane’s blue jumpsuit that he put around Tsukasa earlier so he wouldn’t be too cold during the night. Amane’s hands were cold and so was his body, but he didn’t feel cold anyway. Seeing Tsukasa sleeping peacefully right next to him, he couldn’t help but take a quick loving glance at him. It was like Amane couldn’t stop checking on him today. This time Tsukasa’s bright moon eyes were closed. Amane’s eyes began to trail down to his little button nose, and then lower – to his mouth. Tsukasa’s lips were slightly parted as he slept. He would usually drool in his sleep, but this time he didn’t – Amane noted. Probably because of how dehydrated he was. Amane gulped, trying to suppress the guilt from the thought. Pushing that idea away, he continued to stare at Tsukasa. It was somewhat comforting to see his brother safe and in peace. It felt different looking at Tsukasa like this. Amane never noticed how long Tsukasa’s lashes were until now. They were resting right on top of his eyelids draping casually upon his now-opened blue moon eyes. Amane jumped back a little, shocked when he found Tsukasa staring back at him, eyes wide open. Blood rose to his face, flustered at the thought that his brother caught him staring. Amane looked away for a moment, trying to hide his face in embarrassment. 

“Haha, that’s a funny look on you, Amane.” After a small giggle, Tsukasa’s gaze was now on the sky above them, and the buildings that tower between them and the long lines of clothing waiting to dry that blocked the view of the sky. Even if there were clouds, they couldn’t see them because of how dark it was outside. “Can’t sleep either?” 

Amane shifted a bit, but he was still determined not to look at Tsukasa. His gaze was directed towards the cold ground they slept on. “I guess so.” He replied. “So many things are happening… I just–” Amane paused. What word was he about to say? Everything is just so  _ overwhelming. _ “I just can’t gather my thoughts properly.” 

“Hmm… why would you do that?” 

Tsukasa’s words played in his head for a moment, still processing. Why would he do that? He doesn’t know anymore. 

“Y’know, Amane…” Tsukasa’s eyes reflected the sky underneath his long lashes. He reached his hand out towards the sky as if he was trying to reach for something – kind of like he was giving the sky a high-five so it wouldn’t be so dark and lonely. “You don’t have to know exactly what to say,” He stared a little longer at the sky before he eyes trailed back to the person at his side. “Or even what to think about.” He looked at Amane like he was the only thing that was worthy of his attention. “You should let it remain a mess – just let go and be whatever you want, cause’ why should these things control you?” 

Amane was still staring at the floor, but Tsukasa’s words still hit him. They felt so soothing, the tone was so soft and sweet, cotton candy-like – as if it was coated with a sprinkle of sweet sugar from the doughnuts he ate. He felt relieved. It felt like those words were exactly what he needed to hear. Tsukasa was smiling now and Amane dared himself to look. 

“You always try to gather up these things and put them back in order, but what’s the point? They’re just gonna get knocked back down again. Even if that’s going to break the world…

...then the world would be better off broken.” 

Amane didn’t know how to reply to that and well, he chose not to. Being himself sounded so tranquilizing. Doing whatever he wanted and how he wanted and being able to do it was just like everything he ever wanted. But breaking the world? What if the world was already broken? And then for that moment, he decided to ignore the shivers that came up his spine and trust the temptation of Tsukasa words. 

“Maybe…” Amane started. “You’re right.” 

Tsukasa only giggled. 

“Ne, Amane,” 

Amane hummed as a reply. His eyes were closed and his body felt heavy. It was funny how tired he was physically and mentally yet he couldn’t bring himself to sleep. 

“I was thinking that maybe we could go out for a walk since you couldn’t sleep properly.” Tsukasa said. “Besides,” He paused again. “The sky looks pretty tonight.” 

  
  
  
  
  


Tsukasa was right again. The sky was pretty. There were no clouds at all in the sky to cover their view, so Amane could easily spot where the moon was. Almost all the lights in the town were off, so the sky was dark, but even so the moon was there to light up the way. Sometimes, during times like these, there were small tiny lights that lit up the sky along with the moon. Amane could spot about six or seven. Stars, he thinks it was called. They were like gems in the sky that comforted Amane, reminding him that there was still something precious in this dead world. 

Walking through the night hand in hand with Tsukasa swinging their arms back and forth as he was humming a random song brought back another strange memory to Amane. Back then when they walked like this: together, while a gentle breeze flew past the cracked indentations of the wall outside like empty windows, leaving stinging sensations after hitting their backs as they would hold each other – one hand with Tsukasa and the other hand holding a flashlight. It rained on that day, Amane remembered. It was raining, but the rain wouldn’t hit them, so they couldn’t feel the raindrops tickling their skin or get their hair wet from spending too long outside or get their socks wet while jumping on puddles. Instead of the rain hitting them, the rain would hit the glass above them instead. All Amane and Tsukasa could experience was the loud sound of rain hitting against the dome. The sound was like the handle of machines popping when they were forcefully turned. Whenever he looked up, Amane would watch the water fall down from the center of the glass semi sphere to wherever they wanted to fall. After the rain, Amane noticed how the day became gloomier than it already was. Grayscale-colored clouds covered the sun and made nights bland. Amane doesn’t know what to feel about the rain, but Tsukasa seems to like it. The loud noises would more than successfully catch Tsukasa’s attention. He always liked big and flashy things, Amane supposes. 

But unlike tonight, it wasn’t raining. It wasn’t as gloomy as usual from the lack of clouds, so they didn’t really need a flashlight. Ghostly lights that lingered from factories and other houses helped lit the rest of their way. The clear sky brought back another memory to Amane. He stared at the moon for a while, as if trying to memorize its features. During nights like these, Amane would stare at the moon for comfort. Whenever he would walk down the roads to either throw garbage or to fetch something he left from the repair shop, the moon always seemed to follow him. And of course, he tried hiding but the moon was always right behind him! He even asked the moon once:  _ why do you keep following me? _ but he never got an answer. Amane flushed a bit at that embarrassing memory. At first, Amane thought that the moon was lonely and that it wanted Amane as a friend, but that kinda seemed a bit stupid. Still, Amane couldn’t figure out why the moon was following him. For all he knows, maybe Amane was unconsciously following the moon instead. 

“Amane, look! What’s that?!” Tsukasa roughly tugged his arm, running towards something. Amane’s thoughts were interrupted and he was back to the present – the scent of petrol and motor that lingered on the roads reminded him that this was reality. 

Tsukasa’s hand gripped Amane’s hair forcefully towards the scene so Amane could see the thing that Tsukasa was so eager about. He let out a sharp cry when he felt the roots of his hair being pulled out from his comfort, but the pain all faded away once he saw  _ it _ . Right behind a rusty metal fence was a  _ shiny metal faucet  _ connected to the walls of a small brick building. Amane could already feel the fresh, cool water tickle his tongue as it traveled down his dry throat, cooling the flesh that flowed past the refreshing liquid. 

Oh god, Amane was  _ drooling _ . 

At this point, he couldn’t even care if he was just hallucinating or if he became so desperate for water that he started to imagine a faucet only around ten steps apart. Tsukasa wiped the drool at the corner of Amane’s mouth. The sensations of small fingers rubbing against his mouth snapped Amane out of his trance. 

“T-Tsukasa.. is that–”

“Yes, Amane. It’s real. Could you stop being weird and come help me up this annoying fence?”

Wait. Hold up. A fence? It was then Amane realized that there were fences surrounding a small yard, containing the small building that the small faucet was attached to. It was at that moment Amane had come to the conclusion that the faucet belonged to someone’s property. It meant that if Amane helped Tsukasa over the fence, at that very point where Tsukasa would drop down to the sandy dirt of the yard, they would be trespassing. It was rare to find someone who was rich that owned property so the person that owned the faucet was probably someone connected to the government. If they were caught trespassing, their punishment would be a bullet to the head. Amane gulped, feeling himself turn blue at the thought of Tsukasa – his poor baby brother – his other  _ freaking  _ half that he could never be complete without –  _ killed _ because he couldn’t do anything to protect him. 

Just thinking about what they might do him sent his head flying and bile to rise up his esophagus. Who knows what they might do to him! Images were flashing though his head of Tsukasa being tied up, pinned on a chair with a tight rope that would leave cruel red marks on his delicate milky skin. Knowing Tsukasa, he would try to struggle out of those ropes, while the skin around his wrists became further irritated and red with every attempt he would make.  _ Would he cry? _ Amane wonders. Tsukasa probably wouldn’t cry, because he would still have faith that his older brother, Amane, would come by any second to save him. Tsukasa’s eyes would get hotter and wider – thick, heated, blue fires growing, filled with rage instead of fear. Of course, after a while, the fires would start to wash out once they would hold his face forwards with their sharp nails, digging into the developing purple bruises on his cheeks as they would forcefully chuck the opening of their gun right into his mouth. The metal would feel cold and foreign right above his tongue. Amane bets that Tsukasa would start sweating cold too. They would shove it further down his throat so Tsukasa wouldn’t be able to spit it out. They would hold it right there – a smile on their face showing their sharp teeth and their pointer finger resting on the trigger. And then – with just the right amount of pressure– 

“WAIT!” Amane screamed out hoping that it would stop his train of thought. He was panting for air as if he just had a panic attack, sweat the size of bullets was sliding down his forehead, while some had made it past his neck. “Tsukasa–”

Amane managed to grip Tsukasa's white shirt hard. He gripped on it like it was the thing that would stop him from falling into a ravine that he couldn’t see the bottom of. 

“Amane? What’s wrong?” He could hear the sudden build up of panic in Tsukasa’s voice as he said those words. “Do you want me to–”

“You can’t do this!” Amane quickly said, interrupting his brother. Tsukasa’s eyes widened in surprise from Amane’s physical state and the way his eyes were dilated. His tone didn’t help either. Amane almost never interrupts Tsukasa, so when he did, it must mean something dead serious. “You can’t just climb over that fence like it’s nothing! You might… y-you–”

“Woah, calm down, Amane! Nothing is going to happen to me. That faucet is right over that fence, it’s not that far either. Besides you can watch me right there! After that, we can get all the water we want! Doesn’t that sound great, Amane?” 

Water. Right. Amane’s hands twitched as he pulled off from Tsukasa’s shirt. He hesitated for a moment. Maybe he was a bit too paranoid. Even if they were to trespass, the faucet wasn’t that far and with their stamina that built up and worn down from walking all around the city. Escaping would be a piece of cake. Amane faced the fence. It was nothing Tsukasa couldn’t climb after Amane gave him a little push. But even so… 

Amane’s gaze went to face Tsukasa’s ocean blue eyes. The calming blue shores never seemed to fail to soothe him. 

But even so… that is Tsukasa that Amane would send to climb over the fence. His poor baby brother. That is his only hesitation. 

“Okay, fine…” Amane said, finally catching his breath. “We will get over the fence under one condition.” 

Tsukasa looked at Amane with one eyebrow raised in curiosity from where the conversation was going. 

“And that is?” Tsukasa asked.

“If I go alone.” 

  
  
  
  
  


At first, Tsukasa objected and insisted that he should be the one to climb the fence because Amane did all the work all the time and that it wasn’t fair. Tsukasa said those words while stomping his foot onto the ground for special effects, but Amane was just so stubborn! And with that look in his eyes, how could Tsukasa say no? 

And so, there Amane went, climbing the fence. Sand sifted underneath Amane’s feet as he slowly brought himself down to the other side carefully so there was no unwanted noise. He looked back at Tsukasa with a smile as they both exchanged a thumbs up. Even though there was a smile on Amane's face, and even though he continued to walk to the faucet without a problem, there were goosebumps that littered his skin and he was internally screaming. As if on cue, right on the other side of the corner near the faucet, there was a bucket. He could use that to bring water to Tsukasa and run back into the alleys, but the problem was that it was a bit further away. And what Amane meant by further away, was that the bucket was near the supposed back door of the building. That was pretty risky, but the bucket would be helpful. Either way, Amane made it this far, so it wouldn’t hurt… right? But even so, Amane didn’t even know if the faucet worked or not. With that thought in mind, Amane decided to head back to the metal faucet and keep his head out of the bucket. Or so he thought. 

Right as he began to lift his left foot, something hit him and he fell face first to the ground with a  _ thud _ . Crap. That was loud. 

He could hear Tsukasa curse aloud as he heard the loud noise, and that really didn’t help. All that Amane remembers now is the taste of dirt in his mouth, the feeling of sand accumulating in his eyelashes, the pain that shot through his legs and the beating of his heart. If the loud sound of the fall didn’t give him away, surely the great deal of volume from his heartbeat would. 

Amane tried to bring himself up as quickly as he could – but it was at that moment, he heard the voice of someone unknown that was surely directed towards him. As a result, he held his breath along with a hand glued across his face like a mask he couldn’t breathe through, as if he couldn’t trust himself. His legs felt so numb – even the adrenaline coursing through his veins couldn’t help him. With all the energy Amane had left, he signaled Tsukasa to run. 

**“** **_Who is it at this time of night?! A burglar?!!”_ **

Amane couldn’t tell the difference between anything anymore. His head was spinning with fear and all he could think of is that he was going to die, he was going to die, he was going to die, and Tsukasa will be alone forever. He was shaking from the affects of the adrenaline, and his breathing was going erratic. Tears even started to make way in his eyes. Honestly, the last thing he needed was to get caught. He shouldn’t have done this in the first place. All Amane could do was regret, regret and regret, as his heart began beating faster and faster as the sound of footsteps began to get heavier. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There are no words on God's green Earth to express how happy I am to finish this up. 
> 
> I finally have the motivation to write! I'm really glad I was able to write a chapter without forcing myself to do so, and I actually enjoyed it! This is almost the end of the first arc, however there is still a bit more to it later. 
> 
> I will update again soon! Leave a comment to cheer me on! I would love to hear your thoughts! :D

**Author's Note:**

> The first chapter was a bit short and boring but hopefully, the next chapter will be a bit more exciting. I feel like the part where the twins were searching for water was a bit lengthy (trying to make it as short as possible) but I assure you, the whole plot starts because of that. Sooo... what do you think about Chapter One?


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